Shake Fear's Grip

Opinion - AMERICA: ANXIETY AT HOME

Our Position: Americans Should Grab Hold Of Preventive Measures They Can Control.

November 23, 2001|By Fuchsia

Americans nowadays fear many things that never before were a conscious part of their routine. Since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, air travel is down about 25 percent. Some people are afraid to open unsolicited mail, lest it contain deadly anthrax spores.

But a sense of realism must prevail if America is to emerge triumphant in the war against terrorism.

Consider a recent report by the National Safety Council, a nonprofit organization that tracks accidental injuries.

The council warned that Americans are more likely to die from poisonings, falls, fires and other incidents in their homes and communities than be killed in highway crashes. And the chances of death or injury in a car crash are exponentially greater than being involved in a plane crash. The risk of anthrax exposure is infinitesimal by comparison.

The greatest irony of all? Americans can take certain precautions to prevent many of the circumstances that lead to death and disability. The same cannot be said about air travel or terrorism.

For example, the National Safety Council estimates that 338 lives will be saved during the four-day Thanksgiving weekend because car-crash victims wore seat belts. If all victims were buckled up during this holiday, another 143 lives could be spared.

Household falls claim another 9,300 lives each year, mostly among the elderly. Clean up the clutter, remove toys and clothes from floors and stairways -- items that easily can cause a stumble. Label medicines and toxic materials -- and keep them out of reach of children. That could prevent another 9,400 deaths each year.

In other words, don't fret about things over which you have no control. Rather, grab hold of things within ready reach.